Many of the topics presented by Auburn faculty related to areas within AMRDEC's mission, including manufacturing, unmanned systems, materials, composites, nanotechnology, power, energy and propulsion.

"This was a great opportunity for us to interact with one of our key strategic partners within academia," said Eric Edwards, AMRDEC director.

Among those in attendance was Jackie Langhout, Director of AMRDEC's Technical Management Directorate and an Auburn alumna.

"The Auburn University Huntsville Research Center organized a great event in a super venue. It allowed the local community, government and industry, to gain a better understanding of the cutting edge research activities underway at Auburn. All of the topics covered were relevant for application to Department of Defense work," Langhout said.

Jim Hatfield, deputy director of AMRDEC's Weapons Development and Integration Directorate, was one of several University of Alabama alumni to attend the event. While remaining rivals on the football field, Hatfield was quick to recognize the value that Auburn brings to AMRDEC and Team Redstone through outstanding research and providing future leaders in engineering and science.

The event's format led to many discussions and information sharing between Auburn and conference attendees.

"The dean, faculty and researchers from Auburn were likewise impressed with the wide range of high tech work being performed in the Huntsville area," said Langhout.

The event was one of several within the month in which AMRDEC is engaging strategic partners from academia, industry, and other government agencies. Earlier in September AMRDEC participated in meetings with the University of Alabama in Huntsville's College of Engineering and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Later this month AMRDEC will host the University of Tennessee and Leadership Huntsville/Madison County.

Langhout left the Auburn Engineering Day with a better understanding of the university's current research efforts.

"It is my hope that this will become an annual event," she said.

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AMRDEC is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America's Soldiers.

RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. AMC is the Army's premier provider of materiel readiness -- technology, acquisition support, materiel development, logistics power projection, and sustainment -- to the total force, across the spectrum of joint military operations. If a Soldier shoots it, drives it, flies it, wears it, eats it or communicates with it, AMC provides it.